Malawi coach Kinnah faces axe, says Sports Minister

Malawi national team, the Flames, head coach Kinnah Phiri may have led the squad to a 3-2 win against Eritrea in the CECAFA CUP but his head is now on the chopping block, according to Sports Minister Enoch Chihana.

Chihana said his Ministry and the Sports Council would wait until the CECAFA (Council of Central Africa Football Associations) tournament was over, saying if the team crashed out at the group stage, Kinnah could find himself out of a job.

“The boys were given enough time to prepare for the tournament. This is the time they have to show us that they can do something,” Chihana is quoted by Malawi News Agency.

He said Kinnah could be saved if the Flames win the cup.

Kinnah Phiri: Under fire

“But if they don’t bring the cup, then it will be a different issue,” Chihana is quoted saying.

The Malawi coach said after the game:”I am very bitter with my players for giving the opponents space to score such goals.”

He added:”This is a game we should have won comfortably, but we ended up struggling.”

Kinnah in October signed a contract extension that will keep him in the job until 30th June 2014.

The government also extended the contracts of assistant coach Young Chimodzi and technical director Jack Chamangwana by two years too.

Malawi lost 0-2 to Rwanda in their opening Group ‘C’ match.

But they managed to beat Eritreal in the second match on Thursday. The kick-off was disrupted by rains.